Triumphs and failures of a single mama

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Monthly Archives: September 2014

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A few of my friends are either really close giving birth or just recently found out that they are expecting… it made me wanna share my birth story.. Tomorrow is Westies first birthday and I cant believe how fast it came. so here it goes..

The day before Westie came

I was due September 28th 2013. I absolutely loved being pregnant. I was lucky. One of my best friends had uncomfortable pregnancies. Don’t get me wrong mine was no comfort ride, I was ready for it to be over and want it to be a while before I get pregnant again. I mean who likes swollen feet, indigestion, and back pain. However, I did love the attention, big boobs, and an excuse to eat everything and anything ( I used that excuse a lot ). I knew I wanted a natural birth. I didn’t want a C-section. I don’t do well with surgery and I heard that the bounce back from vaginal delivery is quicker. When I was 14, I had a cyst and needed to get my ovary and fallopian tube removed. The surgery I got is similar to a C-section and that sucked! I just didn’t want to do it again and also take care of a newborn while healing. I had also watched a documentary that convinced me that natural (No pitocin, No epidural, No C-section) was a better choice for me. I’m not saying one way is the right way. Whatever makes you feel comfortable during birth is what is best. That was one of the most meaningful things I learned in my birthing class. My teacher explained it this way: The more comfortable the mother is, the faster the labor will progress. So your partner should know before hand how to calm you and make you feel safe. Weston’s father was not really involved during the pregnancy. We saw each other a handful of times and he came to first doctors appointment and none after that. My sister was my partner at the birthing class. That served as an awkward introduction, since every one else in the class was a couple. I cried about it then but I laugh about it now. No one knows me better then my sister. She can look at me and know what I am thinking. I have said it before and I’ll say it again I wouldn’t have it any other way. So whoever your person is just make sure they know how to make you comfortable during your labor. Pretty much the thought of the epidural scared me more then giving birth ( I know, I’m Weird) I hate any type of medical procedures and I did not like the thought of a HUGE needle and catheter inserted into my spine. This is going to sound even weirder but I wanted to feel everything. I wanted to have control of my body and feel when I needed to push. I wanted to be able to walk after. I trusted my body to do what it was meant to do.But I had no idea what I was in for so I didn’t completely rule out the epidural. I was aware that things happen and I was willing to do what I needed to do. All I wanted was a stress free labor, however that happened. So I planned for what I could and expected anything to happen. I packed my hospital bag and awaited the big day. I wanted to work up until the day I gave birth so I could use all 3 months of my maternity leave to love my baby but by the beginning of September I was ready to stop working and just relax and take care of things that I needed to before Weston came. I compromised and decided my last day would be the 23rd.

If you’re weak stomached you may not want to continue..because I’m about to get graphic…

Around 2am I woke up to go to bathroom and when I got back to my bed it felt a little wet. I figured maybe I peed a little when I sat up. The thought did cross my mind that maybe my water had broke, so I sat there in bed for a bit to see if I felt contractions….NOTHING. So I went back to sleep. My alarm went off and it was time to shower… I felt a little wetness between my legs but thought eh its my last day lemme just get through it. I took a shower, got ready and went to work. On my way into work I decided to call my doctor’s office to see what they wanted me to do, they didn’t open till 8, it was 7:45am. I wasn’t in any pain so I thought eh whatever…I worked as I normally did. Finally on my lunch break around 2pm I thought I’ll give them a call..see what they say…I explained the wet bed at 2am and the wetness in the morning and the nurse told me I needed to go to the hospital ..like now.

” wait like now? I said.

“yes, now.” She replied.

” So it’s time?”

“Yes, you need to go now”

“really?”

I hung up the phone, spoke to my supervisor, and was on my way home to pick up my packed bag and my sister.

all packed and ready to go

When we got to the hospital they said they didn’t think that my water broke but they were gonna check the fluid for good measure… I was convinced that I was going home. The results were in.. my water had broke. OH! MY! GOD! it’s really time. Since my water possibly could have broke at 2 am they said that they needed to start the contractions and get Westie out before infection could set in. I had expressed to my doctor that I did not want any pitocin or any type of intervention. My doctor was very understanding and made me feel like my opinion mattered. She gave two choices (and explained them very thoroughly) I could take a pill that would start contractions or I could get an IV with pitocin. I had heard that pitocin contractions were waaay worse than regular contractions But my labor and delivery nurse explained that if she gave me the pill then there was no turning back. If I was put on pitocin she could stop it any time. I liked that option better. So they brought me from the waiting/ receiving area to labor and delivery.

waiting for pitocin

So they brought me into labor and delivery (I picked an awesome hospital..it was like a fucking resort) and they hooked me up to the monitor for my contractions and gave me the pitocin. Weston’s father had met us at the hospital and joined us when we got to labor and delivery a few months prior to getting pregnant I had a procedure done because I had per-cancerous cells in my cervix so they did a leep procedure to cut out those cells. I was watching the contraction monitor numbers go up but I wasn’t feeling anything, at this point I was getting really anxious because I knew I was in for a lot of pain but I wasn’t feeling anything! then I heard a POP and I jumped. The L&D nurse came back to check on me and I told her that I heard a pop. She told me that it was my scar tissue breaking open from my leep procedure (well that’s gross) since my cervix was opening. Once we heard that pop, It was on! ooohhh man the pain! I had put OZ: The Great and Powerful as entertainment when the contractions were weak and the last thing I was paying attention to was the television. I labored for 6 hours. Each time the L&D nurse came into the room the check I had dilated more and more and very quickly. One of the final times she checked me she had said I was 9 1/2 centimeters and there was no doctor in sight. “We need you to hold him in until the doctor gets here. She is on her way. about 20 mins”. At this point every three mins Westie was pushing lower and lower down and I felt him coming..there was no stopping him. After 6 hours of trying to get him out.. I was supposed to hold him in! all I remember was screaming at the nurse to get a fucking doctor in here now because he is coming and I cant stop him ( she later shared that I was funny, I guess I had a rather foul mouth. Can you blame me?!?) Westie’s father was good at letting me squeeze his hand and giving me small sips of water every two mins because trust me you need it. I even remember her being on the phone and saying “someone has to get down here now”. For what felt like an eternity of holding him in my doctor burst through the door had just enough time to throw on the smock/gown and catch Westie. It took two good pushes and he was out. Weston’s father got to cut the cord and then they immediately put Westie on my chest and I got to hold and kiss my little guy even with all the gross stuff all over him. I didn’t even care.

This is gonna sound weird but it felt so good. As soon as he was out I got this rush. This unbelievable high that I could never explain. I finally got to meet the little man that was growing inside of me and It was the greatest feeling in the world.

Its been a year now and I love every second of being a mommy. Duh, its exhausting and my bank account is empty most of the time. Plus I feel like I’m doing every thing wrong but then there’s those moments when he snuggles up to me or even just flashes me his brightest smile I cant get enough of it.